Pole banner sign construction

ABSTRACT

The pole banner sign construction has permanent hardware for supporting a flexible banner on a pole. All of the hardware excepting a simple mounting plate at the top and lower ends of the banner is removable from the pole for storage so that it does not present an unsightly appearance when not used for supporting a banner. A simple flexible banner that may be changed from time to time is mounted on the hardware and is adapted to be folded into a small package for shipment in an envelope. A pair of banner members may be similarly mounted on either side of the pole. The banner may be changed from time to time without the use of any tools by merely unhooking several hooks from banner engagement, and transferring pull rods from an initial banner to a replacement banner, and then hooking the replacement banner in place.

United States Patent [72] Inventors Samuel J. Mollet Hills and Dales,Canton: Thomas Friedrichsen, Massillon, both 01, Ohio [21] Appl. No.833,262 [22] Filed June 16, 1969 [45] Patented June 29,1971 [73]Assignee The Massillon-Cleveland-Akron Sign Company Massillon, Ohio [54]POLE BANNER SIGN CONSTRUCTION 7 Claims, 11 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.C1 40/128, 40/ 145 R [51] Int. Cl G091 7/22 [50] Field ofSearch..40/128, 125 G, 145

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,716,533 8/1955 Freeman40/145 X 2,893,147 7/1959 Mollet 3,310,899 3/1967 Hart ABSTRACT: Thepole banner sign construction has permanent hardware for supporting aflexible banner on a pole. All of the hardware excepting a simplemounting plate at the top and lower ends of the banner is removable fromthe pole for storage so that it does not present an unsightly appearancewhen not used for supporting a banner. A simple flexible banner that maybe changed from time to time is mounted on the hardware and is adaptedto be folded into a small package for shipment in an envelope. A pair ofbanner members may be similarly mounted on either side of the pole. Thebanner may be changed from time to time without the use of any tools bymerely unhooking several hooks from banner engagement, and transferringpull rods from an initial banner to a replacement banner, and thenhooking the replacement banner in place.

POLE BANNER SIGN CONSTRUCTION CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENTS Theinvention involves improvements in the constructions shown in US. Pat.Nos. 2,764,830, 2,882,630, 2,893,]47, and 3,310,899, and in ourcopending application Ser. No. 828,848 filed May 29, 1969 and now U.S.Pat. No. 3,581,420.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The inventionrelates to a banner display sign mounted on a pole of a type wherein aflexible banner member is supported at its upper end and springtensioned at its lower end on a pole, such as a light pole located at agasoline service station, to display a series of appropriate advertisingmessages from time to time. A pole banner sign of this general type isshown in said US. Pat. No. 2,764,830. The flexible banner of such a polebanner sign should be tensioned and should be detachable readily andeasily for changing the banner message from time to time in anadvertising campaign wherein a series of signs is displayed.

It is desirable to provide permanent hardware components for supportingand mounting the flexible banner on the pole so that no hardware need beshipped with a replacement banner each time the banner is changed in anadvertising campaign involving a series of banners. At the same time itis desirable that the pole present a neat and trim appearance withoutconspicuous unused parts when no sign is mounted and displayed on thepole.

Finally, to minimize production and shipping costs, the flexible bannercomponent should have a simple rectangular shape on which the sign isprinted or otherwise displayed, which readily can be folded into smallpackage size for shipment, by mail when desired, in a relatively smallenvelope.

2. Description of the Prior Art The prior art is well shown in the priorpatents identified above. Many types and kinds of poles exist at variousgasoline service stations located throughout the country. Any of suchpoles may be at the desired place or location for mounting a series ofbanner display signs. Many different types and kinds of poles areinvolved, such as tubular metal poles, either plain or corrugated,cylindrical or tapered, or generally circular or polygonal in crosssection; or the poles may be wooden, or concrete, or plastic; and anysuch pole may have any desired configuration in size and cross section.

This involves problems in providing upper and lower support members fora banner, particularly when the support members must hold the upper andlower edges of a rectangular vertically extending flexible banner insubstantially horizontally extending locations when the banner ismounted on the pole, and to at the same time provide permanent hardwarefor mounting the banner which is inconspicuous when not in use tosupport a banner.

These considerations thus have presented a need for rugged permanenthardware for mounting a flexible banner in tensioned position on a pole,which hardware except for a simple inconspicuous mounting plate may beremoved when not in use, and which hardware readily may be used tochange flexible banners from time to time without the use of any tools,and wherein the flexible banner per se may be folded in a smallconveniently handled package for envelope shipping in order torepeatedly mount and display a series of different banners on thehardware in carrying out an advertising campaign.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Objectives of the invention include providing apole banner sign construction which releasably suspends and mounts aflexible rectangular banner member or component in tensioned conditionextending vertically on a pole with the banner located between upper andlower suspension or support means hardware of a permanent nature, theprincipal components of which are removably mounted on the pole; and inwhich successive banners may be mounted one replacing another withoutthe use of any tools. Further objectives involve the use of hardware ofa permanent nature, on which a banner may be mounted at its upper end,and in which the mounting means preferably involves. only the engagementofa flexible banner by hook members which puncture or pierce the fabricbanner component in mounting the same on the hardware.

Another objective is to reduce the cost of the replaceable bannermembers or components as well as shipping costs therefor, by providingfor banner shipment in a condition folded to small package size whichmay be contained in a relatively small envelope without requiringshipment or replacement of rigid stick members heretofore necessary inreplacing a banner supported on hardware mounted on a pole.

These objectives and advantages are attained by the pole bannerconstruction, the general nature of which may be stated as including thecombination of a flexible banner member component generally rectangularin shape, formed of foldable cloth, fabric, or plastic material having ahem at each of its upper and lower edges, a rigid preferably metal rodor tube pull stick member removably contained in the hem at each upperand lower banner edge; upper and lower hardware support and suspensionmeans for the banner component adapted to be mounted on a pole, theupper and lower support means each comprising a mounting plate adaptedto be permanently mounted on the pole; the upper support means includinga suspension plate removably wedge-mounted on the upper mounting plate,and hook means on the suspension plate engageable with the hemmed edgeand pull rod at the upper end of the banner component; the lower supportmeans including a lower bracket wedge-mounted on the lower mountingplate, tube means fixed to the lower bracket, and spring tensioned hookmeans movable axially of said tube means for pierced hook engagementwith the lower hemmed banner edge and pull rod.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A preferred embodiment of theinvention-illustrative of the best mode in which applicants havecontemplated applying the principlesis set forth in the followingdescription and shown in the drawings and is particularly and distinctlypointed out and set forth in the appended claims.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the improved pole sign construction;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view looking down on the topof the pole sign in the direction of the arrows 2-2, FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the upper support hardware suspensionplate for the banner;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of one of the mounting plates oriented foruse as a part of the upper support hardware of FIG. 3 detached from apole;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of the upper mounting plate of FIG. 4mounted on a pole;

FIG. 6 is a rear view looking in the direction of the arrows 6-6, FIG.4, of the upper mounting plate;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 7-7, FIG.

FIG. 8 is a front view similar to FIGS. 4 and 6, of one of the mountingplates oriented for use as a part of the lower support hardware shown inFIG. 1, detached from a pole;

FIG. 9 is a side view of the lower support hardware, detached from apole;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary front view of lower hardware tensioning deviceshown in FIG. 9, detached from the mounting plate; and

FIG. 11 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 11-11, FIG. 9,of the lower hardware tensioning device.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The improved pole bannerconstruction generally is indicated at 1 wherein a flexible banner 2 ismounted on a pole 3. The mounting means for flexible banner component 2comprises upper support means generally indicated at 4 and lower supportmeans generally indicated at 5.

Referring to FIGS. 2 through 7, the upper support means 4 includesmounting plate means generally indicated at 6 com prising a U-shapedmember 7 having plate member 8 secured thereto preferably by spotwelding as indicated at 9. Member 8 has an offset portion 10 trapezoidalin shape converging toward the top as shown in FIG. 4 so that the wings11 are spaced from the web 12 of channel-shaped member 7. Apertures 13may be formed in channel-shaped member 7, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6 forreceiving a flexible strap sometimes used in attaching objects to poles.As shown, the mounting plate 6 is permanently mounted on the pole 3 bybolts 14 extending through holes 15 in mounting plate 6.

The hardware upper support means assembly 4 also includes a suspensionplate 16 (FIG. 3) formed with a downwardly opening trapezoidal slot 17.Plate 16 is attached to mounting plate means 6 by telescoping bifurcatedportions 18 and 19 of plate 16 between the wings 11 and web member 12 ofmounting plate means 6, with the slot 17 wedge-fitting over the offsetportion 10 of plate member 8 as shown in FIG. 2. A pair of hook members20 with sharpened points 21 are fixed to the outer or front surface ofplate 16.

Referring to FIGS. 8 to 11, the lower support means 5 includes mountingplate means 6 which is the same as the upper mounting plate means but isoriented upside down as compared with the mounting plate means 6 used inthe upper support means 4. The orientation of the lower mounting platemeans 6 is illustrated in FIG. 8, and the lower mounting plate 6 may bepermanently mounted on the pole 3 by bolts at a location generally shownin FIG. 1.

The lower hardware support means assembly 5 also includes a lowerbracket 22 (FIGS. 9 and 10) having a backplate 23 and a lower baseplate24. An upwardly opening trapezoidal slot 25 is formed in the backplate23. Bracket 22 is attached to lower mounting plate means 6 bytelescoping bifurcated portions 26 and 27 of backplate 23 between thewings l1 and the web member of mounting plate means 6, with the slot 25wedge-fitting over the offset portion 10 of plate member 8 of mountingplate means 6 as shown in FIG. 9. Preferably setscrew 28 is threadedthrough an opening 29 in one of the wings of plate means 6 to holdmi'r'ibers 6 and 22 assembled.

A tube member 30 necked in at 31 at its upper end and having a bottomopening 32 preferably is rigidly mounted on baseplate portion 24 oflower bracket 22 (FIG. 9). rod 33 extends axially into tube 30 and has ahook 34 at its upper end terminating in a point 35. Rod 33 is surroundedby a spring 36 within tube 30 engaging washers 37 at the ends of spring36, and washers and spring are retained assembled to the rod 33 bylocknut 38.

In accordance with the invention, flexible banner component 2, used todisplay a sign or an advertising message printed or otherwise carriedthereon, preferably generally is rectangular in shape and formed ofcloth, fabric, plastic, or other flexible material, so that it may befolded into a package small enough in size that it may be contained in arelatively small envelope. Banner component 2 has an upper edge 39 and alower edge 40, and banner component 2 is formed with hems 41 at theupper and lower edges 39 and 40. The remaining hardware components formounting the banner com ponent 2 comprise rigid preferably metal rod ortube pull stick members removably contained in the hems 41 at the upperand lower banner edges, such pull stick rods being indicated at 42.

In mounting a banner 2 on a pole 3, two mounting plate members 6oriented as described are permanently mounted on the pole 3 in thedesired spaced relation as shown in FIG. 1.

Support plate 16 of upper assembly 4 as shown in FIG. 3 is thenwedge-mounted on the upper mounting plate 6 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.The rigid pull rod 42 is then inserted in each of the banner hems 41.The banner 2 is then secured on the hooks 20 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 7,the hooks piercing the flexible material and being engaged beneath andholding or supporting or suspending the pull rod 42.

The lower support means assembly 5 indicated in FIG. 9 is thenwedge-mounted on the lower support means 6 and secured thereto bysetscrew 28. Spring tensioned hook member 34 then is engaged with thelower end of banner 2 centrally thereof and around pull rod 42 in thelower hem, the hook member 34 piercing the banner material in obtainingthe engagement. If desired, the center of the lower pull rod 42 may beprovided with an aperture through which hook member 42 may extend.Similar provisions may be made for engagement of the upper hooks 20 inapertures in the upper pull rod 42, if desired.

The spring 36 in the lower support means tensioning device 5 maintainstension on banner 2 against flexing and movement of the banner due towind forces or wind pressure.

As shown in FIG. 1, it is usual to mount two banners back to back on anypole to display signs in opposite directions. This may be accomplishedas illustrated in FIG. 1 by permanently mounting the upper and lowersupport means mounting plate means 6 back to back on either side of pole3 for mounting two banners on the pole.

Advertising campaigns conducted through point-ofpurchase advertising atgasoline or service stations frequently involve the successive displayof a series of advertising messages. In accordance with the invention,this may be accomplished merely by replacing banners 2 with new bannersfrom time to time. Such replacement is performed readily, quickly, andeasily merely by unhooking the banners from the hooks 20 and 34, andinserting the pull rods 42 from initial banner members 2 into the hemsof replacement banners 2 and then engaging the new banners 2 on thesupport hooks 20 and 34. No tools of any nature whatsoever are requiredto make the banner change, all hardware being present at or remaining onthe pole.

If it is not desired to display a banner on the pole 3 for a period oftime, banners 2 may be removed and the pull rods 42 and upper and lowerassemblies 4 and 5 stored at the service station with the mounting platemeans 6 only remaining on the pole in an inconspicuous manner.

Accordingly, the new pole sign construction provides an arrangement inwhich permanent hardware is provided for mounting a banner on a pole,and only the flexible banners per se are changed and discarded forchanging the sign displayed; provides a construction in which thehardware components permanently mounted on the pole are veryinconspicuous and the remaining permanent hardware may be convenientlystored for subsequent use; provides a construction in which the flexiblebanner component may be mounted at its top edge and tensioned on thepole to accommodate wind forces; provides a banner component which maybe folded into a small package and shipped in an envelope to the placeof use; provides a new construction having reduced banner and bannershipment costs; provides a construction which may be readily mounted onanykind, or type, or size, or material of existing pole; and provides aconstruction eliminating difficulties present with prior devices, andwhich achieves the objectives stated and solves existing problems in theart.

In the foregoing description certain terms have been used for brevity,clearriess and understanding; but no unnecessary limitations are tobeimplied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art, because suchterms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadlyconstrued.

Moreover, the description and illustration of the invention is by way ofeiiample, and the scope of the invention is not limited to the exactdetails shown or described.

Having now described the features, discoveries and principles of theinvep'tion, the manner in which the improved pole sign constructie'n isconstructed and used, the characteristics of the new construction, andthe advantageous, new and useful results obtained; the new and usefulstructures, devices, elements, arrangements, parts and combinations, areset forth in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. Pole sign construction ofa type in which a flexible banner isremovably mounted and tensioned on a pole; including a rectangularflexible banner formed with a hem at each of its upper and lower edges;rigid pull rod means removably mounted in each hem; upper and lowerhardware support means for the banner each having a mounting platecomprising a channel-shaped member and a plate member having a centraltrapezoidal-shaped offset portion, and means connecting saidtrapezoidal-shaped offset portion to the back of the web of thechannel-shaped member adapted to be permanently mounted on a pole; thetrapezoidal-shaped offset portion of the upper mounting plate convergingtoward the top and the trapezoidal-shaped offset portion of the lowermounting plate converging toward the bottom, the upper support meansincluding a suspension plate with a downwardly openingtrapezoidal-shaped slot therein removably mounted on thetrapezoidal-shaped offset portion of the upper mounting plate, and hookmeans on the suspension plate releasably engaged with the banner upperhemmed edge and pull rod; and the lower support means including springtensioned hook means having an upwardly opening trapezoidal slot thereinremovably mounted on the trapezoidal-shaped offset portion of the lowermounting plate releasably engaged with the banner lower hemmed edge andpull rod, the upper and lower mounting plates being spaced at a givendistance to permit the spring tensioning to take effect.

2. Pole sign construction of a type in which a flexible banner isremovably mounted and tensioned on a pole; including a rectangularflexible banner formed with a hem at each of its upper and lower edges;rigid pull rod means removably mounted in each hem; upper and lowerhardware support means for the banner each having a mounting platecomprising a channel-shaped member and a plate member having a centraltrapezoidal-shaped offset portion, and means connecting saidtrapezoidal-shaped offset portion to the back of the web of thechannel-shaped member adapted to be permanently mounted on a pole; thetrapezoidal-shaped offset portion of the upper mounting plate convergingtoward the top and the trapezoidal-shaped offset portion of the lowermounting plate converging toward the bottom, the upper support meansincluding suspension means with a downwardly opening trapezoidal-shapedslot therein removably wedgemounted on the trapezoidal-shaped offsetportion of the upper mounted plate, and a pair of hooks on thesuspension means releasably engaged with the banner upper hemmed edgeand pull rod, and the lower support means including spring tensionedhook means having an upwardly opening trapezoidal slot therein removablymounted on the trapezoidal-shaped offset portion of the lower mountingplate releasably engaged with the banner lower hemmed edge and pull rod,the upper and lower mounting plates being spaced at a given distance topermit the spring tensioning to take effect.

3. Pole sign construction ofa type in which a flexible banner havingupper and lower hemmed edges is removably mounted and tensioned onpermanent hardware means for the sign mounted on a pole; the permanenthardware means including upper and lower pull rods adapted to betelescoped into the hemmed edges of a banner; upper and lower supportmeans each having a mounting plate comprising a channel-shaped memberand a plate member having a central trapezoidalshaped offset portion,and means connecting said trapezoidalshaped offset portion to the backof the web of the channelshaped member adapted to be permanently mountedon a pole, the trapezoidal-shaped offset portion of the upper mountingplate converging toward the top and the trapezoidal-shaped offsetportion of the lower mounting plate converging toward the bottom, and asuspension plate with a downwardly opening trapezoidal-shaped slottherein removably mounted on the trapezoidal-shaped offset portion ofthe upper mounting plate; the upper support means including hook meanson the suspension plate adapted to be releasably engaged with the bannerupper hemmed edge and pull rod; and the lower support means including atube mounted on a lower bracket having an upwardly opening trapezoidalslot therein mounted on the trapezoidal-shaped offset portion of thelower mounting plate and spring tensioned hook means mounted in andprojecting from the tube means adapted to be releasably engaged with thebanner lower hemmed edge and pull rod, the upper and lower mountingplates being spaced at a given distance to permit the spring tensioningto take effect.

4. Pole sign construction ofa type in which a flexible banner havingupper and lower hemmed edges is removably mounted and tensioned onpermanent hardware means for the sign mounted on a pole; the permanenthardware means including upper and lower pull rods adapted to betelescoped into the hemmed edges of a banner; upper and lower supportmeans each having a mounting plate comprising a channel-shaped memberand a plate member having a central trapezoidalshaped offset portion,and means connecting said trapezoidalshaped offset portion to the backof the web of the channelshaped member adapted to be permanently mountedon a pole, the trapezoidal-shaped offset portion of the upper mountingplate converging toward the top and the trapezoidal-shaped offsetportion of the lower mounting plate converging toward the bottom, and asuspension plate having a trapezoidal slot therein removably mounted oneach mounting plate; the upper support means also including a pair ofhooks on the upper suspension plate adapted to be releasably engagedwith the banner upper hemmed edge and pull rod; and the lower supportmeans including spring tensioned hook means mounted on the lowersuspension plate adapted to be releasably engaged with the banner lowerhemmed edge and pull rod, the upper and lower mounting plates beingspaced at a given distance to permit the spring tensioning to takeeffect.

5. Pole sign construction of a type in which a rectangular flexiblebanner having upper and lower hemmed edges is removably mounted andtensioned on hardware means for the sign mounted on the pole; includingupper and lower rigid pull rod means removably mounted in the hemmededges of the banner, upper and lower hardware support means for thebanner, each support means including a mounting plate comprising achannel-shaped member and a plate member having a centraltrapezoidal-shaped offset portion, means connecting saidtrapezoidalshaped offset portion to the back of the web of thechannel-shaped member whereby the opposite end portions of the platemember form wings spaced from the channel-shaped member, meanspermanently mounting the mount ing plates on the pole, thetrapezoidal-shaped offset portion of the upper mounting plate convergingtoward the top and the trapezoidal-shaped offset portion of the lowermounting plate converging toward the bottom, the upper support meansincluding an upper suspension plate with a downwardly openingtrapezoidal slot therein, said upper suspension plate being receivedbetween said wings and the web of the channelshaped member with the slotwedge fitting over the offset portion, hook means on the uppersuspension plate releasably engaged with the banner upper hemmed edgeand pull rod, the lower support means including a lower bracket havingan offset backplate at its upper end, said backplate having an upwardlyopening trapezoidal slot therein, said backplate being received betweenthe wings and the web of the lower mounting plate means with the slotfitting over the trapezoidal offset portion thereof, and springtensioned hook means carried by said lower bracket and releasablyengaged with the banner lower hemmed edge and pull rod, the upper andlower mounting plates being spaced at a given distance to permit thespring tensioning to take effect.

6. Pole sign construction as defined in claim 5 in which the springtensioned hook means carried by the lower bracket comprises an uprighttube member rigidly connected to the comprises screws located throughthe trapezoidal-shaped offset portion of each plate member and throughthe central portion of the corresponding channel-shaped member and intothe pole.

1. Pole sign construction of a type in which a flexible banner isremovably mounted and tensioned on a pole; including a rectangularflexible banner formed with a hem at each of its upper and lower edges;rigid pull rod means removably mounted in each hem; upper and lowerhardware support means for the banner each having a mounting platecomprising a channel-shaped member and a plate member having a centraltrapezoidal-shaped offset portion, and means connecting saidtrapezoidal-shaped offset portion to the back of the web of thechannel-shaped member adapted to be permanently mounted on a pole; thetrapezoidalshaped offset portion of the upper mounting plate convergingtoward the top and the trapezoidal-shaped offset portion of the lowermounting plate converging toward the bottom, the upper support meansincluding a suspension plate with a downwardly openingtrapezoidal-shaped slot therein removably mounted on thetrapezoidal-shaped offset portion of the upper mounting plate, and hookmeans on the suspension plate releasably engaged with the banner upperhemmed edge and pull rod; and the lower support means including springtensioned hook means having an upwardly opening trapezoidal slot thereinremovably mounted on the trapezoidal-shaped offset portion of the lowermounting plate releasably engaged with the banner lower hemmed edge andpull rod, the upper and lower mounting plates being spaced at a givendistance to permit the spring tensioning to take effect.
 2. Pole signconstruction of a type in which a flexible banner is removably mountedand tensioned on a pole; including a rectangular flexible banner formedwith a hem at each of its upper and lower edges; rigid pull rod meansremovably mounted in each hem; upper and lower hardware support meansfor the banner each having a mounting plate comprising a channel-shapedmember and a plate member having a central trapezoidal-shaped offsetportion, and means connecting said trapezoidal-shaped offset portion tothe back of the web of the channel-shaped member adapted to bepermanently mounted on a pole; the trapezoidal-shaped offset portion ofthe upper mounting plate converging toward the top and thetrapezoidal-shaped offset portion of the lower mounting plate convergingtoward the bottom, the upper support means including suspension meanswith a downwardly opening trapezoidal-shaped slot therein removablywedge-mounted on the trapezoidal-shaped offset portion of the uppermounted plate, and a pair of hooks on the suspension means releasablyengaged with the banner upper hemmed edge and pull rOd, and the lowersupport means including spring tensioned hook means having an upwardlyopening trapezoidal slot therein removably mounted on thetrapezoidal-shaped offset portion of the lower mounting plate releasablyengaged with the banner lower hemmed edge and pull rod, the upper andlower mounting plates being spaced at a given distance to permit thespring tensioning to take effect.
 3. Pole sign construction of a type inwhich a flexible banner having upper and lower hemmed edges is removablymounted and tensioned on permanent hardware means for the sign mountedon a pole; the permanent hardware means including upper and lower pullrods adapted to be telescoped into the hemmed edges of a banner; upperand lower support means each having a mounting plate comprising achannel-shaped member and a plate member having a centraltrapezoidal-shaped offset portion, and means connecting saidtrapezoidal-shaped offset portion to the back of the web of thechannel-shaped member adapted to be permanently mounted on a pole, thetrapezoidal-shaped offset portion of the upper mounting plate convergingtoward the top and the trapezoidal-shaped offset portion of the lowermounting plate converging toward the bottom, and a suspension plate witha downwardly opening trapezoidal-shaped slot therein removably mountedon the trapezoidal-shaped offset portion of the upper mounting plate;the upper support means including hook means on the suspension plateadapted to be releasably engaged with the banner upper hemmed edge andpull rod; and the lower support means including a tube mounted on alower bracket having an upwardly opening trapezoidal slot thereinmounted on the trapezoidal-shaped offset portion of the lower mountingplate and spring tensioned hook means mounted in and projecting from thetube means adapted to be releasably engaged with the banner lower hemmededge and pull rod, the upper and lower mounting plates being spaced at agiven distance to permit the spring tensioning to take effect.
 4. Polesign construction of a type in which a flexible banner having upper andlower hemmed edges is removably mounted and tensioned on permanenthardware means for the sign mounted on a pole; the permanent hardwaremeans including upper and lower pull rods adapted to be telescoped intothe hemmed edges of a banner; upper and lower support means each havinga mounting plate comprising a channel-shaped member and a plate memberhaving a central trapezoidal-shaped offset portion, and means connectingsaid trapezoidal-shaped offset portion to the back of the web of thechannel-shaped member adapted to be permanently mounted on a pole, thetrapezoidal-shaped offset portion of the upper mounting plate convergingtoward the top and the trapezoidal-shaped offset portion of the lowermounting plate converging toward the bottom, and a suspension platehaving a trapezoidal slot therein removably mounted on each mountingplate; the upper support means also including a pair of hooks on theupper suspension plate adapted to be releasably engaged with the bannerupper hemmed edge and pull rod; and the lower support means includingspring tensioned hook means mounted on the lower suspension plateadapted to be releasably engaged with the banner lower hemmed edge andpull rod, the upper and lower mounting plates being spaced at a givendistance to permit the spring tensioning to take effect.
 5. Pole signconstruction of a type in which a rectangular flexible banner havingupper and lower hemmed edges is removably mounted and tensioned onhardware means for the sign mounted on the pole; including upper andlower rigid pull rod means removably mounted in the hemmed edges of thebanner, upper and lower hardware support means for the banner, eachsupport means including a mounting plate comprising a channel-shapedmember and a plate member having a central trapezoidal-shaped offsetportion, means connecting said trapezoidal-shaped offset portion to theback of the web of the channel-shaped member whereBy the opposite endportions of the plate member form wings spaced from the channel-shapedmember, means permanently mounting the mounting plates on the pole, thetrapezoidal-shaped offset portion of the upper mounting plate convergingtoward the top and the trapezoidal-shaped offset portion of the lowermounting plate converging toward the bottom, the upper support meansincluding an upper suspension plate with a downwardly openingtrapezoidal slot therein, said upper suspension plate being receivedbetween said wings and the web of the channel-shaped member with theslot wedge fitting over the offset portion, hook means on the uppersuspension plate releasably engaged with the banner upper hemmed edgeand pull rod, the lower support means including a lower bracket havingan offset backplate at its upper end, said backplate having an upwardlyopening trapezoidal slot therein, said backplate being received betweenthe wings and the web of the lower mounting plate means with the slotfitting over the trapezoidal offset portion thereof, and springtensioned hook means carried by said lower bracket and releasablyengaged with the banner lower hemmed edge and pull rod, the upper andlower mounting plates being spaced at a given distance to permit thespring tensioning to take effect.
 6. Pole sign construction as definedin claim 5 in which the spring tensioned hook means carried by the lowerbracket comprises an upright tube member rigidly connected to the lowerbracket, a rod located through the tube member and having a hook at itsupper end and a coil spring within the tube member surrounding said rod,washers at the end of said coil spring and a nut upon the lower end ofthe rod.
 7. Pole sign construction as defined in claim 5 in which themeans permanently mounting the mounting plates on the pole comprisesscrews located through the trapezoidal-shaped offset portion of eachplate member and through the central portion of the correspondingchannel-shaped member and into the pole.